Book Review: Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam

Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the past, Laura Vanderkam has written about how to get more things done. In this book, she focuses on how to find time so you can spend it doing what you love. She has developed nine rules and spends a chapter doing a deep dive into each of them:

• Give yourself a bedtime
• Plan on Fridays
• Move by 3 p.m.
• Three times a week is a habit
• Create a back-up slot
• One big adventure / one small adventure
• Take one night for you
• Batch the little things
• Effortful fun before effortless fun

I retired a few years ago and my adult children are not living with us, so I am not the target audience for this book. It targets a busy professional with children, typically very young children and I definitely could have used this book 15 years ago when I was in that situation. That being said, I embraced many of her rules and was able to apply them to my life. Who doesn’t want to feel better rested each morning and even though we don’t want to accept it, the way to accomplish that is to give yourself a bedtime.

Laura wrote this book in 2022 and did the research with the participants in 2021, so the pandemic is very prominent in her writing and the participant responses.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.


View all my reviews

Book Review: Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor

Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 ½ stars) Lili Taylor began her interest in birds 15 years ago in Upstate New York and has continued her interest through the years. She is now involved with the National Audubon Society and the New York City Bird Alliance. This book is a collection of 13 short essays, each one on a different bird or a different situation. She discusses a variety of geographic locations: New Mexico, Austin, Texas, Nebraska, Bryant Park in New York City, and the Empire State Building. She also includes several chapters on birding festivals, buying binoculars, and even a bird tattoo contest.

I read this book over a two-month period, while bird watching in my own backyard with two bird feeders (finches and hummingbirds) and setting up a new bird bath. We regularly eat lunch and dinner on our patio, just feet from the feeders and bird bath, so can get an up-close and personal view of all the winged visitors.

Beautiful pencil sketches are included at the beginning of each chapter, but the artist is not acknowledged. I appreciate that she mentions several birding apps and websites, all of which I found quite helpful:
• eBird
• BirdEye
• Merlin Bird ID
• iNaturalist
• David Sibley
• Bird Cast

To be honest, I would have given this book five stars if it wasn’t for the chapter on sparrows (read other Goodreads reviews for content warnings).

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.


View all my reviews

Book Review: The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostya Kennedy

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostya Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paul Revere’s famous ride from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts (18 miles) took place on April 18-19, 1775.  Half of this book is devoted to Revere’s backstory – his early years, his family, and his occupation of silversmith, engraver, and dentist.  It also sets the scene in Boston surrounding the Revolutionary War:  the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, etc.  The other half of the book is a thrilling re-telling of the actual ride.  Revere was a very well-known and reliable Express Rider, so it was obvious that he should be the one selected to spread the news of the impending British invasion. 

The last chapter, entitled Echoes, focuses on the Longfellow poem, historical Boston locations, various Paul Revere named items, and other related poems.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem was written 85 years later, just before the Civil War (1860), and is most likely why American schoolchildren are very familiar with Paul Revere’s famous ride.  There’s also an interesting chapter detailing Jonathan Singley Copley’s painting of Paul Revere. 

Overall, this is an exciting book of narrative non-fiction.  It is very well researched, both with original sources and with visits to various sites mentioned in the book.  It also includes an extensive bibliography of books, journal articles, websites and documents, along with an index including all the individuals and locations mentioned in the book.  The author even met and interviewed Paul Revere III.  The map of the various routes taken was extremely helpful to this reader.  And I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s retelling of his climb to the top of the Old North Church steeple, 175 feet off the ground!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 ½ stars) Zac Brettler is a 19-year-old living in London, and in 2019 he plunged to his death off a luxury high rise apartment into the Thames River below. His family was shocked by his suicide, but even more surprised when they discovered that he was leading a secret double life. He claimed to be Zac Ismailov whose father was a Russian oligarch worth billions. He became friends and was doing business with various wheelers and dealers in the London business scene, a world financial hub.

Zac’s parents questioned whether it was suicide or murder, potentially caused by the gangsters and criminal underworld of London that he was associating with. Despite his parents pressuring Scotland Yard to investigate their son’s death, nothing seemed to be getting done. At times Scotland Yard seemed like the Keystone Cops.

Once again Patrick Radden Keefe has written a fascinating narrative non-fiction account of Zac’s actions and his parents’ attempt to uncover the truth. He is at the top of his game with incredibly well-research investigative reporting. This book was a tense account of Zac’s downfall, along with his parents’ repeated attempts to make those guilty accountable for their actions. I was immediately drawn into this family tragedy which told the emotional story of Zac’s death and its impact on his parents and older brother. It’s a tough book to read, but incredibly compelling.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Around the Table: Tables and Traditions for Gathering by Shea McGee

Around the Table: Tables and Traditions for Gathering by Shea McGee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an absolutely beautifully photographed book of menus and tablescapes, arranged by season and holiday. The recipes are included for each of the dinners and celebrations. They all look so elegant but what really stood out for me was the innovative combination of ingredients and the use of what I probably already have in my kitchen, freezer or pantry. No need to scout out and buy obscure items that I will never use again. With just a few exceptions, the recipes and instructions don't take an inordinate amount of time and many can be made ahead of time.

This book is an inspiration for those wanting to entertain more - whether it's complex holiday meals or just a simple pizza party or burger slider gathering in the back yard. Shea McGee is such a wonderful hostess -- please invite me to your next dinner party of any occasion!

I first heard Shea interviewed on Katie Lee Biegel's podcast All On The Table a couple of months ago -
https://overcast.fm/+ABJ62W71YsE

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: View from the East Wing: A Memoir by Jill Biden

View from the East Wing: A Memoir by Jill Biden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 stars)  This is Jill Biden's memoir primarily covering the time that her husband was President and she was First Lady.  It was a challenging time which included the pandemic, the January 6th insurrection, her husband's campaign for re-election, and his ultimate withdrawal from the race.  Soon after their time in the White House, President Biden was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer and was subsequently treated.

In spite of all of these challenges, I found that her story was just superficial without much depth or insight into these stories. In addition, this book was just random vignettes, not at all linear but rather jumping around during Biden's presidency.  It does give the reader a peek inside the incredibly busy life of a First Lady.  And kudos to Dr. Biden for being the only First Lady who continued to work while her husband was in office.  She was a college English professor at Northern Virginia Community College.  I was a little disappointed in this book, especially having read her first memoir - "Where the Light Enters:  Building a Family and Discovering Myself." 

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Walk With Me: New York: Photographic Stroll Through New York Streets Capturing Serendipitous, Everyday Urban Poetry, by Susan Kaufman

Walk With Me: New York: Photographic stroll through New York streets capturing serendipitous, everyday urban poetry. by Susan Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of incredible photographs of many of the Manhattan (and Brooklyn) neighborhoods. Susan Kaufman has a background in magazine publishing and fashion, and has a wonderful eye for architecture, decor, and history. Her photographs immerse the reader in each of the city's wonderful areas. Her captions describe the location of each photo, and she includes a map at the end of each neighborhood chapter which identifies her favorite streets and locations.

I discovered this book at the shop in the main branch of the New York Public Library a couple of years ago. I glanced through it and realized that I *had* to have it! Since we regularly visit our son and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law in NYC, I have reviewed her book and compiled a list of her favorite streets and points of interest. During our NYC visits we try to explore two or three new areas, using her book as our guide. We have found so many interesting sites that we wouldn't have discovered otherwise! Pro Tip -- follow her on Instagram @skaufman4050 to get her wonderful photos in your IG stream daily!

Please note that the author has compiled another book focusing on the Hamptons!
Walk With Me: Hamptons: Elegant photography tour through Hamptons estates, beaches, and the cultivated ease of summer living.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson

The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an autobiography / memoir told by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, the wife of the dentist Dr. Sullivan Jackson.  It was their home in Selma, Alabama, "The Jackson Home," that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used as his headquarters to rally supporters for the Voting Rights Act and the Selma Civil Rights Movement.  Their daughter, Jawana, was just five years old at the time, and loved when 'Uncle Martin' came to visit.

Greenfield Village in Dearborn (part of The Henry Ford) recently acquired The Jackson Home and had it moved from Selma to Dearborn, Michigan.  It is opening to the public this weekend (June 12-14, 2026) with a festive Block Party.  We had the good fortune of touring the house last month and the experience was quite moving.  The house is preserved just as it was in 1965 with as many original furnishings and accessories as possible.  The Henry Ford staff worked tirelessly to find additional items which needed to be added to those original items.  

Here is a 48-minute documentary, created by our local NBC affiliate WDIV, which was broadcast earlier this year.  The Jackson daughter, Jawana Jackson, is now 65 years old and is featured in the video talking about Dr. King and the role that her house played in making history.  One of the fascinating things in this video is how they had to cut the house in two in order to transport it from Selma to Dearborn on two different trucks, and then reassemble it once it arrived in Greenfield Village!
https://www.clickondetroit.com/video/news/2026/02/26/backstory-the-jackson-home/ 

This is an incredible book telling the story of the Selma Civil Rights Movement.  Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson is a wonderful storyteller, and reading the book I felt like she was my grandmother, sitting in a rocking chair with me at her feet on the carpet while she was telling me the tales of her life and all the important people who came to The House by the Side of the Road.  A very compelling memoir; very highly recommended!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

View all my reviews

Book Review: North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures by Sharon Stiteler

North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures by Sharon Stiteler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very well-written and concise overview of 150 common birds.  There are a couple of introductory chapters on Getting to Know our Feathered Friends, and Birding 101.

This is a great book for a bird watching beginner like me.  Each entry gives the color, head, geographical range, general impression, size and shape, plus a paragraph describing where it lives, male and female coloring, and habits.  Highly recommended for the beginner birder!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon

The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John U. Bacon has written the definitive book about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975 in Lake Superior.  The reader is taken through the background of lake freighters used to transport iron ore through the Great Lakes, how the Edmund Fitzgerald was built to be the largest and fastest boat on the lakes, information on each of the crew members and the captain, what life is like onboard a freighter, and a detailed description of their last voyage.  

The book is incredibly well researched and Bacon's writing is both comprehensive and approachable for the novice.  The various maps and the layout of the freighter were invaluable to me in my understanding.  It is probably the best narrative nonfiction book that I have ever read, and would encourage anyone to read it!

I saw the author speak on the WDIV Backstory documentary which was aired last fall at the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the "Fitz," and was so impressed with his knowledge.  I would highly recommend watching this documentary -- 
Edmund Fitzgerald (71 minutes)
https://www.clickondetroit.com/video/features/2025/11/07/full-documentary-the-edmund-fitzgerald-2025/

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an incredibly well-researched narrative nonfiction book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.  The author spent four years writing the book, made seven trips to Northern Ireland, and conducted more than 100 interviews.  Although he admits that the title of the book is an indication of the willingness of many individuals to talk to him, even decades later.  There is a very lengthy list of references citing his sources at the end of the book.  

The book centers the abduction and 'disappearance' of a widowed mother of ten young children, thought to be an informer.  I read this for one of my book clubs and it was definitely a lively discussion this week.  Many of the group (myself included) didn't know much about the history of the Troubles conflict.  It goes into detail about the many participants in both sides of the conflict, so it can be difficult to keep track of the individuals.  Overall, a very eye-opening history lesson, written very much like a mystery book.  

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/. 

View all my reviews

Book Review: Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum; translated by Shanna Tan

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a charming book, written originally by Hwang Bo-Reum in Korean and translated to English by Shanna Tan.  There are 53 chapters, each about three pages long.  She covers a lot of bookish and reading subjects in these 215 pages -- how to start reading again, how to select books (read small books, read big books, read bestsellers), how to track books (keep a reading list, organize your bookcase), and much much more!

It's very easy to read just one essay at a time, then pick it up again later to read another essay.  In fact, the author and publisher originally bundled a weekly planner with each book, intending the reader to read one essay a week over the course of a year.  

I would recommend this book for anyone who loves books and reading!  This is the first book that she has written, but has subsequently Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.  This book is about a young very stressed woman who quits her job, divorces her husband, moves to a small neighborhood and opens a bookstore.  It's definitely on the short list of books that I would like to read this year!  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133938826-welcome-to-the-hyunam-dong-bookshop 

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Stitch It, Don't Ditch It: Simple Hand-sewn Repairs to Help You Love Your Clothes For Longer by Mary Morton

Stitch It, Don't Ditch It: Simple Hand-sewn Repairs to Help You Love Your Clothes For Longer by Mary Morton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very well-researched and comprehensive book about repairing your clothes using hand sewing techniques.  It includes information about the supplies you will need, gives background on basic skills you will use, and has examples of various repairs that you can make with your clothing.  

I have been sewing, both by hand and with a sewing machine, since I was in elementary school (many years ago), so the majority of this book was just a review for me.  However, I would highly recommend it for those individuals just starting out sewing because it is so comprehensive and extensive.  My only complaint is that all of the examples are sketches rather than photographs.  I think it would be more helpful if detailed photographs were included instead.

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

View all my reviews